Wernicke introduced microscopy to Argentinian medicine, and founded the study of parasitology, microbiology, and general pathology in Argentina.

[2] Wernicke's childhood was spent in Baradero about 160 km northwest of the city of Buenos Aires, where his father settled for health reasons and ran a school.

[4] A translation of the work was published in the Anales de la Sociedad Científica Argentina (Annals of the Argentine Scientific Society).

In 1884, he received the degree of Doctor of Medicine, after presenting a thesis sponsored by José Teodoro Baca, on the topic "Una primera lección de examen clínico" ("A first lesson in clinical study").

[15] His students included Guillermo Seeber, who described the parasite Rhinosporidium seeberi,[16][17] and Alejandro Posadas, who with Wernicke first described the fungal disease Coccidioidomycosis.

[18][10][19][20][21][22][17][23][excessive citations] Wernicke was a founding member[24] and served two terms as President of the Asociación Médica Argentina (Argentine Medical Association) from 1894-1895 and from 1896-1897.

[25] He was vice-president of the First Latin American Scientific Congress[15] held in Buenos Aires on April 11, 1898, where he led the medical sciences section.

[27][28][29] In 1907, Wernicke formally retired from the University, stepping down from the Chair of General Pathology, and the positions of Academician and Counselor of the School of Medicine.

In a ceremony on October 30, 1907,[15] the Board of Directors granted him the title of "Honorary Professor", in recognition of "his services to the city, the nation and the profession".